Specification of William Henry Hughan : treating and deodorizing sewage, &c.

  • Hughan, William Henry.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Henry Hughan : treating and deodorizing sewage, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Provisional Specification. Dughan’s Improvements in Treating and Deodorizing Sewage, 8fC. “ Portland” or other suitable cement in the setting process to deodorise (where necessary) and solidify night soil, sewage, filth in general, refuse, blood, offal, urinary and bestial products of farm steadings* sludge, and other refuse of manufactories, fish, and the like. The primary object of the discovery is to utilize night soil and the 5 contents of sewers and other like refuse matter found in large cities and towns (which substances are known to be rich in ammonia, phosphoric acid, magnesia, potash, soda, and which at present poison the air and water) and to transform them into a valuable and portable substance or manure for agricultural purposes. The contents of the sewers and cesspools 10 containing the nightsoil and other like refuse are introduced into a mortar mill or such like grinding or reducing machinery, and therein ground up and mixed with cement to the consistency and prepared con¬ dition of mortar; after withdrawal from the mill the product begins to set into a hard substance ultimately like a stone. Deodorisation commences 15 with the contact of the cement and proceeds with the setting property until in a few hours the substance becomes as inodorous as imported guano and without injury to its fertilizing properties. When the setting process is completed in sufficient hardness it is crushed down into powder and is then fit for use. In correct nomenclature I would now call the powder 20 “ carbonic acid guano.” It may be further improved by the addition of acids* or by calcination whilst in the indurated condition, but I prefer it in the carbonic acidised state. An improvement in effectual deodori- sation is caused by the addition of peat charcoal* salt to the raw material when in the mortar mill* and it may also be enriched with bone 25 ash and other known fertilizing elements, and I therefore reserve the right of introducing into the mixture all salts, acids, alkalies, earths, refuse from alum, oil, alkali, cotton, wool, gas, soot, and tannery manufactories and ironfoundries for the manufacture of given manures, as well as the applying of cement to the mixing of substances for improvement or 30 extract. . • ( For my purpose of cementation I manufacture a special cement having powerful absorption, setting rapidly, and then disintegrating into powder* but of all the cements at present in use I prefer the hydraulic building “ Portland cement,” on account of its great powers of absorption and its 35 rapid setting properties. It being an established fact that manures are improved in general effect by admixture with one another the application of cement for this
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